Patrick Graham bolted for Vegas because he was upset with Giants

[jranieli]

https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2022/03/07/patrick-graham-bolted-las-vegas-raiders-upset-new-york-giants/

Quote

Shortly after the New York Giants hired Brian Daboll as their next head coach, he revealed expectations that Patrick Graham would return as defensive coordinator.

Graham had worked with Daboll in the past and is well-respected throughout the Giants’ organization, so the assertion made sense. To everyone except for Graham himself, that is.

Rather than staying with the Giants, Graham took off for Las Vegas, joining Josh McDaniels’ Raiders’ staff. And he did so silently.

As it turns out, there was a specific reason for that. Or reasons, as it were.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports that Graham’s decision to bolt for Vegas was spurred on by several events that troubled him. Primarily, the team’s decision to fire his close personal friend, Joe Judge, after promising him patience.

So why did Graham bolt for Vegas? A source said multiple factors rubbed Graham the wrong way, particularly the way his close friend Judge was fired after two years by owners who promised to be patient with the young coach.

Graham was the defensive line coach on Ben McAdoo’s staff, so he has now witnessed the Giants fire two head coaches within two years.

That wasn’t the only thing that didn’t sit well with Graham. He was also bothered by the Brian Flores lawsuit, which alleged racial bias in the Giants’ hiring practices, and the proposed timeline of events.

Aspects of Flores’ lawsuit didn’t sit well with Graham, particularly the timeline of some of the actions by ownership and front office members who were included in the complaint, according to the source.

As the late, great Billy Mays would say, “but wait, there’s more!”

Finally, Graham was troubled by the Giants’ decision to publicly announce that he was expected to return prior to him completing his interview cycle with the Minnesota Vikings.

And Graham also didn’t like when Daboll and Schoen announced that he would be back before he interviewed for the Vikings job, the source said.

So with all of those issues festering, Graham left to join another former Patriots assistant, Josh McDaniels, in Las Vegas. Graham was under contract with the Giants, but it obviously wouldn’t have been good for the new staff’s chemistry to force an unhappy coach to stay.

Once upon a time, Graham said coaching the Giants’ defense was his “dream job.” He even turned down head coaching opportunities so he could remain in East Rutherford. But as each domino fell this offseason, Graham fell more and more out of love with the organization, and more bothered by several of the ongoings.

Graham has not yet commented publicly about his Giants exit, but we should expect to hear about it at some point soon.

 

[Herc]

All reasonable concerns honestly 

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

1 hour ago, Herc said:

All reasonable concerns honestly 

I agree.  This could have been headed off by sitting down and talking with him.  Saying he will stay before he interviews sucks big time.  If I am Minne I would have asked him if he were serious about the job.  He was sabotaged IMHO in this way.  The Flores stuff was too volatile IMHO for him to handle either way.  Flores is more about Flores than any cause right or wrong IMHO.  I am glad that Graham is elsewhere.  Too bad he hitched wagons to McAdoo who was a better coach than Judge who needed way more seasoning.  Graham would have been a better head coach than Judge.  Only thing Judge has was a tenuous connection to Belichick who cannot coach up his own staff as he does everything his way in New England.

[jranieli]

He will probably find himself as a HC in a few years. I hope this franchise has rebooted itself. 

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

True this for all concerned.  I think Graham needed a new team and fresh air.  Hopefully the Giants have killed the whole "family" bullshit from the Maras.  That more than anything has really held this franchise back.

[Sephiroth]

My favorite part of the article is how the author states something, states the exact same thing in a slightly different way to pad the word count. 

[CrazedDogs]

I'm not sure it's true that Daboll definitively said he would be back... If I recall that press conference correctly, Daboll said Graham may get a head coaching opportunity, otherwise he would be back. 

My first guess at this kind of thing usually is sour grapes, after getting passed over for head coach.

But I am curious what the details are on the Flores timeline. That sounds like there may be some meat to it.

[BlueInCanada]

I mean I don't blame him if this is true.

You have a franchise that's currently in its worst stretch in franchise history who is tossing coaches and GMs like used Kleenex. 

He would of been used as a scape goat when the gutted defense plays like garbage next year. 

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

5 hours ago, Herc said:

All reasonable concerns honestly 

 

3 hours ago, jranieli said:

He will probably find himself as a HC in a few years. I hope this franchise has rebooted itself. 

 

1 hour ago, Sephiroth said:

My favorite part of the article is how the author states something, states the exact same thing in a slightly different way to pad the word count. 

 

1 hour ago, CrazedDogs said:

I'm not sure it's true that Daboll definitively said he would be back... If I recall that press conference correctly, Daboll said Graham may get a head coaching opportunity, otherwise he would be back. 

My first guess at this kind of thing usually is sour grapes, after getting passed over for head coach.

But I am curious what the details are on the Flores timeline. That sounds like there may be some meat to it.

 

27 minutes ago, BlueInCanada said:

I mean I don't blame him if this is true.

You have a franchise that's currently in its worst stretch in franchise history who is tossing coaches and GMs like used Kleenex. 

He would of been used as a scape goat when the gutted defense plays like garbage next year. 

 I think there is something there...too much has gone on for there not to be something there.   I think everyone surrounding this is issue is right.  I also think there exists a lot of backstory that we are not privy too that maybe Graham has.  He would have been hung out to dry if the defense sucked, so now everyone gets a fresh start.

[boohyah]

I don't think the Giants did a whole lot wrong during the hiring process. 

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

I don't think they did a whole lot of wrong... and they did not go out of their way either to do the upright thing.  Very few organizations or people do.  So, Graham got tired of the okay doke... and left.  It happens all the time.  Maybe the next set of circumstances ten years down the line will be better.  I think it will be.  It worked out for everyone and may the Giants owners forever stay out of football operations.

[Treehugger]

On 3/7/2022 at 2:06 PM, Sephiroth said:

My favorite part of the article is how the author states something, states the exact same thing in a slightly different way to pad the word count. 

It was bugging the shit out of me.

It annoyed me to the point I had no shit left.

[Tempest]

I don't think he left because he was upset.  Just think for a few minutes here; he left because he got a better opportunity in Las Vegas.